🙂A single person spends $766 per month in Ligao City vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,195 per month in Ligao City vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,624 per month in Ligao City vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Ligao City is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Ligao City and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ligao City42% lower, Medellin25% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.51₱216
$5.91COP 18.9K
-40.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.92₱1,101
$32.96COP 105.2K
-45.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.36₱207
$7.43COP 23.7K
-54.78%
Cappuccino
$2.48₱152
$1.65COP 5,276
50.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82₱50.3
$1.10COP 3,514
-25.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36₱22.20
$0.78COP 2,491
-53.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.35₱82.6
$1.72COP 5,484
-21.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07₱127
$3.18COP 10.1K
-34.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.83₱112
$1.10COP 3,521
66.36%
White Bread(500g)
$1.27₱78.2
$1.26COP 4,015
0.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.96₱58.7
$1.38COP 4,407
-30.43%
Eggs
$1.98₱122
$2.18COP 6,950
-9.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.10₱497
$4.49COP 14.3K
80.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.20₱258
$5.79COP 18.5K
-27.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.68₱471
$8.97COP 28.6K
-14.38%
Apples(1kg)
$2.85₱175
$2.32COP 7,405
22.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.53₱94.2
$1.06COP 3,397
44.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.67₱164
$1.52COP 4,838
75.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.62₱99.6
$1.36COP 4,327
19.12%
Potato(1kg)
$2.30₱141
$1.13COP 3,599
103.54%
Onion(1kg)
$2.59₱159
$1.17COP 3,738
121.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08₱66.1
$0.90COP 2,876
20.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77₱47.56
$0.90COP 2,861
-14.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.77₱170
$2.23COP 7,128
24.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.24₱506
$12.12COP 38.7K
-32.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21₱74.2
$1.19COP 3,793
1.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07₱127
$2.48COP 7,920
-16.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.26₱15.84
$0.85COP 2,723
-69.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.62COP 132.8K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.82₱50.4
$1.42COP 4,518
-42.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.24₱14.78
$1.95COP 6,223
-87.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.17₱133
$7.89COP 25.2K
-72.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15₱70.4
$0.99COP 3,160
16.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K₱1.6M
$17.6KCOP 56.2M
52.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K₱1.3M
$26.8KCOP 85.5M
-22.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$110₱6,782
$83.0COP 264.9K
33.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.62₱2,003
$9.70COP 30.9K
236.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.03₱1,660
$23.52COP 75.0K
14.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.54₱2,059
$25.26COP 80.6K
32.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.35₱267
$19.10COP 60.9K
-77.23%
Cinema Ticket
$6.02₱370
$3.95COP 12.6K
52.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$149₱9,136
$316COP 1.0M
-52.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,269₱262.1K
$5,975COP 19.1M
-28.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.26₱2,779
$60.0COP 191.4K
-24.57%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.69₱1,639
$31.82COP 101.5K
-16.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$73.9₱4,535
$102COP 324.4K
-27.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.0₱3,318
$107COP 342.8K
-49.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$265₱16.3K
$475COP 1.5M
-44.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$178₱10.9K
$374COP 1.2M
-52.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577₱35.4K
$849COP 2.7M
-32.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$387₱23.7K
$719COP 2.3M
-46.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,432₱149.3K
$3,265COP 10.4M
-25.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$970₱59.6K
$1,441COP 4.6M
-32.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ligao City
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$278₱17.1K
$624COP 2.0M
-55.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
13.43
-50.34%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ligao City: July 26, 2026
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $265 in Ligao City versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 124% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Ligao City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Ligao City vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Ligao City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Ligao City?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,148 per month in Ligao City and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ligao City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Ligao City and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $766 in Ligao City and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $149 per month in Ligao City and $316 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ligao City or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ligao City, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Ligao City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ligao City or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ligao City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ligao City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Ligao City vs other spots: cost of living compared